About BI

“The sudden appearance of mushrooms after a summer rain is one of the more impressive spectacles of the plant world.”- John Tyler Bonner* Late summer through fall is an excellent time to slow down and take note of some of nature’s remarkable phenomena: plump striped monarch caterpillars become...

Head over to The Narragansett Inn on Sunday, August 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the 2018 ConserFest festival. The day will include outdoor yoga, music, a silent art auction and games for all ages. Headlining the day will be the Rowan Brothers, who have been making their mark on the folk and...

“All walking is discovery. On foot we take the time to see things whole.” – Hal Borland “Let’s take a walk”, or, “I’m going for a walk”: these two oft-said phrases are not about a mode of transportation, or about getting from point A to point B. Usually, taking a walk is not about the destination...

The month of June often starts with cool, damp, days shrouded in fog. Sometimes the fog is thick and muffling. Sometimes large batts of fog waft here-and-there; one moment Clay Head is enveloped, the next, Clay Head is revealed and the Old Harbor is blanketed. Often, the west side is draped the...

September is the last hoorah of yellow. Yellow is a color of spring. But, look broadly and you will find yellow in September. Goldenrod, of course, makes a strong showing in mid-September. If you count amber and copper to be in the family of yellow, then the seed spikes of beach grass and Spartina...

“Probably because the horseshoe crabs have been around for so long, they are very tightly woven into their environment. Aside from playing a key role in the survival of a number of migratory shorebird species that consume their eggs to fuel their flights north, horseshoe crabs are themselves...

“It’s such a beautiful place — unspoiled — and this project captures that.” That’s what glass blowing artisan Eben Horton said about Block Island and its relationship to his Glass Float Project. The project involves Horton’s production of hundreds of glass floats, or sphere-shaped ornaments,...

As summer winds down, the Block Island Historical Society acts as a time machine for guests to escape the hectic activity outside. Visitors are welcome to visit the Gallery and Museum Shop or to enjoy sitting in the rocking chairs on the recently restored front porch. Inside the Museum, the Block...

The first thing you notice is the rotary dial phone on the wall still very much in operation. Other than new lures and the piles of the popular “Eat Fish” t-shirts, not much has changed in more than six decades. It’s the old Block Island and there is nothing to indicate a looming transformation...

“ The worse my drawings were, the more beautiful did the originals appear. ” ― John James Audubon To know – recognize and name – Block Island’s flora and fauna is a huge undertaking; possibly impossible. However, like any large...

The New Shoreham Police Department K9 Marcus has received a ballistic vest thanks to a non-profit organization, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., and a Massachusetts resident, Sarah Diehl. Ms. Diehl donated to the nonprofit to cover the cost of New Shoreham Police Department K9 Marcus, and Central...

Everyone is invited to celebrate Block Island’s treasure, the Great Salt Pond, on August 13 with over 11 events, from 11 island organizations, showcasing its variety and importance. You can catch aquatic wildlife in the pond with The Nature Conservancy, or walk the marshes with the Ocean View...

Come celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Nature Conservancy’s office on Block Island. Chris Littlefield is hosting one-time walks at different locations to highlight the island’s unique natural heritage and conservation history. Call (401)466-2129 for more specific location details. Co-sponsored...

Come experience the topography of the agricultural fields that almost completely covered Block Island from the late 1600’s to the early 20th century. Meet at the corner of West Side Road and Old Mill Road. Co-sponsored by Block Island Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy.

A salt marsh adventure for kids and their parents. Meet at Andy’s Way, off Corn Neck Road. (Kids need to wear water shoes and parents must attend.) Co-sponsored by Block Island Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy.

Kids and their parents explore the beach to the North Light. Meet at Settler’s Rock, at the end of Corn Neck Road. (Kids need to wear water shoes and parents must attend.) Co-sponsored by Block Island Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy

Kids and their parents locate all sorts of species special to Block Island. Meet at the Rodman’s Hollow parking lot on Cooneymus Road. (Parents must attend.) Co-sponsored by Block Island Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy

A jaunt with beautiful views and wonderful wildlife. Meet at the parking lot for Clay Head Trail, half-mile off Corn Neck Road, down the dirt road across from the yellow house. Co-sponsored by Block Island Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy.

There’s much to celebrate this summer at the Block Island Historical Society. Plans for the fourth phase of renovations to the museum building are being readied for a summer fundraising campaign. Visitors are welcome into the gallery and onto the porch, both of which have been newly restored. The...

This year, The Nature Conservancy is celebrating its 25th anniversary since opening a field office on Block Island. In 1991, the Conservancy, an international conservation organization, identified Block Island as a “Last Great Place” for its abundance of rare and endangered plants and animals, as...

Whether you are here for the day, a week or the whole summer, try to do at least one of these things — you'll be glad you did! 1. Swim at Sunrise Plan to be up before the sun, that alarm clock may come in handy — even on vacation. No need to make a fuss about what to wear, just throw on a bathing...

Dear Visitors to Block Island, We welcome you and are happy to see you again after a very slow winter season, with as little as one thousand residents, and hardly any businesses open! Now it’s the busy season and a fun place to be for all. In any natural environment there are risks that are...

My life so far has been twists and turns. Working in financial services for 20 years, I now find myself back at my roots, my true nature as a geologist turned environmental activist. A fortuitous turn happened two summers ago when Chris Littlefield agreed to take me on as a volunteer at The Nature...

Here are 25 natural wonders (in no specific order) to see in on Block Island in the Fall. How many have you seen? 1) North Blazing Star – Block Island is the only place this state-endangered species is found in Rhode Island. This purple wildflower is best seen at Turnip Farm. 2) Hodge Family...

Millie Starr just graduated from the Block Island High School. In the fall, she'll be going to the University of New Hampshire to study Psychology. "I might add a minor in Education," she said, sounding excited rather than worried about her future plans. Starr grew up on Block Island and made her...

If you're looking for something fun to do that also supports the Block Island environment, then ConserFest is for you. It's two days of music all across the island and all the proceeds go to nature conservation efforts. The idea of ConserFest came about in 2007. Board of Directors President Cameron...

Early morning on the Block and everyone’s asleep. I jump in the Jeep and the tires spin a bit on our pocked and rocky driveway. Bob Seger’s on the radio, preaching about being a Ramblin’ Man . The morning breeze catches my face and I have to smile. Only one other car is on the road this...

With a year-round population of just over 900 people, Block Island is not just a summer vacation spot. There people — young and old — who call Block Island home for 12 months out of the year. There are also people who come to block Island for the entire summer — to visit family, stay at their...

Dial 911 for emer­gen­cy IMPORTANT: THE DIALING OF 911 IS FOR EMER­GEN­CY USE ONLY! An emergency is when immediate police, fire or rescue as­sis­tance is nec­es­sary. 911 should not be di­aled for non-emer­gen­cy calls that do not involve or require im­me­di­ate as­sis­tance. However, if you feel...

1. THE NORTH LIGHT is the fourth lighthouse built on Sandy Point. The first, finished in 1829, was washed away in a few years. A second light began operation in 1837, but was not visible to ships due to the shifting sands. The government built a third light near the end of the Point in 1857 and...

DEMAND GROWING FOR ADEQUATE STREET LIGHTING AND BETTER POLICE PROTECTION If Block Island is to be expected to make good as a summer resort, to the extent that its natural resources deserve, it must be provided with certain reforms and improvements. The first and most important requirements are...

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the annual Holiday Shopping Stroll, a three-day event that will have some 30 stores and art galleries decorating their windows and opening their doors for a unique Block Island shopping experience — one that often comes with a cup of hot cider, cocoa and a...

The path to the North Light Fibers mill, store and farm is marked by the sight of exotic animals from Abrams Animal Farm in the periphery: the cool stare of the caged lemur, a llama eating kibble from a child’s hand, even kangaroos and a giant tortoise stand by. Walk past these animals and through...

For the past 13 summers on Block Island, the majority of my time here has been spent at my home away from home, the Block Island Club. Located on the northeastern side of the Great Salt Pond, the club was a place for me to further my passion for sailing, expand my (short-lived) interest in tennis,...

Though it’s been many years since I first sat down with Michael Oppenheimer on the open porch of his West Side island home, finding him there several weeks ago felt quite natural. The familiarity of the setting allows us to fall easily into conversation while looking out at rolling hillsides...

It’s never hard to convince me to go on a bird walk at Andy’s Way with Kim Gaffett, director of the Ocean View Foundation, whether it is a Crazy as a Coot meet-up or another OVF activity, it’s always fun and informative. I’ve done a few and will likely do many more. They are almost always at low...

On July 12th, as many admired the super moon (a full moon that appears even larger than usual because of its closeness to the earth) from their houses, I was lucky enough to be out on the Great Salt Pond, part of a group of kayakers on a tour led by Corrie Heinz, owner of Pond and Beyond Kayak...

Cars and dogs... We can’t help but notice how these two go so well together, especially when the sun comes out and the wind is just right. Perhaps it’s the necessities in life that never go out of style. Vintage or new, capricious or predictable, dogs and cars have personalities all their own...

The Captain Faile House sits on the ocean side of Spring Street north of the Southeast Lighthouse. The Cushman family loves this house which was built in 1925, but it is not their first residence on the island. The family history here goes back to World War II when grandfather Bert first learned...

Tiffany Hewitt on the ferry Anna C. Q:How long have you been bartending on the ferry? A:I've been working for Interstate 17 years. I started out answering phones and selling tickets and in the summer of '98 I started bartending. The owner Sue Linda is my great aunt. My mom worked with Sue...

On the island with three friends in the house, I was looking for something interesting to do at night during their visits besides the usual drinks with dinner or a movie, and while I was thinking, I happened to focus on a postcard lying on the dining room table in a large pile of recent mail. Maybe...

This summer, three food trucks have opened around the island after the town rewrote an ordinance to add more licenses. In previous years, there had been one Hawkers and Peddlers license, for a food cart at Settlers’ Rock. In August last year the Town Council voted 4 to 1 to allow up to three of the...

I watch oyster farmer and entrepreneur Dave Deffley swim out to his boat; while I take photos from the dry shoreline my sense of adventure pales in comparison. He swings around the back pond and picks me up at the Hog Pen, camera and note pad in tow. Once aboard, I find a place to perch amidst tubs...

Kim Gaffett and the Ocean View Foundation’s bird walks and bird banding demonstrations are two of many island traditions that are born of a rich legacy, that of Miss Elizabeth Dickens. Historian Robert Downie wrote about that legacy for the weekly Block Island Times and Edie Blane added her own...

Eben Horton is a glass artist and the owner of The Glass Station, a 1920’s-style glass studio located in Wakefield, Rhode Island. He created “The Glass Float Project” on Block Island where he has hidden hundreds of glass floats along Greenway trails and beaches. Islanders and tourists set out to...

On winter mornings when even the sun has difficulty deciding whether it should rise, almost nothing stirs on Block Island, not man nor beast nor machine. On our road, unless the transfer station is open, Howie’s yellow school bus is often the first and only vehicle to pass by my house until mid...